For current Webb students born between 2001 and 2006, the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020 mean the end of their childhood. The 2010s decade contained some of the most important years of their lives, as they grew up and made memories throughout this time. Some of their favorite toys from their early adolescent and tween years are all from this decade. To make sure that these memories will never be forgotten, here are some reminders of the greatest parts of the 2010s.

Silly Bandz

The 2010s started off strong with one of the biggest trends for elementary and middle schoolers: Silly Bandz. These colorful rubber bracelets came in a variety of shapes, with anything from food to animals to sports. It became a trend to collect as many bands as possible, so that one’s entire forearm was covered in a rainbow of bracelets.

Ethan Caldecott (‘21), “I liked Silly Bandz because they are creative and show off people’s personalities. I used to sell them at my old school… I remember buying them at the 99 Cent Store… like a thirty pack of them and the ring ones too… and sell them! I made a profit, so these were definitely one of my favorites.”  

Beyblades

“Let it rip!” The Beystadium – a unique bowl-like arena – let players race and compete without the worry of their Beyblades spinning away. These toys would spin around, bumping into each other to see which fighter would accept defeat and stop spinning first. The game, of course, evolved to include new breeds of the Beyblades, like attack, stamina, and burst. 

Rainbow Loom

The hottest new toy of 2014, Rainbow Loom inspired creativity in its users. The game came with a long plastic loom that helped players weave the tiny colored rubber bands together. You could make bracelets, key chains, anklets, a long chain, or anything that you could think of. The trend was popularized through YouTube videos on how to weave some of the most complex bracelets and patterns. 

Claire Diepenbrock (‘21), “I used to sit and make bracelets with my friends… and we would trade them because not all of us could do the same patterns.”

Fruit Ninja

A time of rapid technological growth allowed for the popularity of the mobile game Fruit Ninja. Players would slide their finger across the screen, slicing fruit and avoiding bombs. The goal was to cut as much fruit as possible, while avoiding the bombs before the timer ran out. New updates and versions of the game kept players addicted to the competition. Maybe you didn’t have your own phone to play it on, but true fruit ninjas would always find a way to stay connected.

Slime

Fluffy slime, slime with beads, glow in the dark slime, rainbow slime, edible slime – the slime possibilities were endless! A trend of late 2016, slime making quickly became popular. A variety of recipes surfaced to make different textures and types of the product. It led to the popularization of videos where YouTubers would make or just play with slime on camera. Companies like Elmer’s released slime kits, so the trend still lives on today.

Zhu Zhu Pets

The tiny mechanical hamsters were deemed 2010 toy of the year by The Toy Association. Their small mechanical wheels would zoom their bodies around smooth surfaces, and if you pressed their tiny, pink plastic nose, the toy would exclaim some sort of indistinguishable yet adorable noise. Their sleek plastic fur came in a variety of colors with endless possibilities of clothes and accessories, so enthusiasts could adopt and personalize as many hamsters as they pleased. 

Carly Granda (‘21), said, “I had so many! … they would all race each other. There was always a competition between me and my brother to see who could get the most.”

Although it is tragic that the 2010s are coming to an end, a lot of good toys and memories came from them. Even though we may not remember every favorite toy or trending item, these years were an influential time in our lives that taught us lessons we will never forget about creativity and individuality.